Rainy Day Love
by Mugen47
Summary: KibaXHina, InoXShika, NaruXSaku, NejiXTenten, SasuXKarin, and numerous other pairings. These just happen to be my favorites, so please don't hate me or disregard my work because of it.
1. Chapter 1

Rainy Day Love

By: Mugen47

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters mentioned within any of my works. This is my first work posted here, and I do plan to continue it until I can couple my favorite pairings into a longer storyline. There are a lot of pairings I'm sure that would be mentioned that many would disagree with or absolutely love, however, I'm going based on my own personal favorites and hope your opinion doesn't make you hate my work because of it.

**Rainy Day Love**

_**Chapter One**_

Kiba honestly couldn't believe what had happened at first. One second, he, Akamaru and Hinata, along with Ino and Kakashi-sensei were returning from the River Country on a reconnaissance mission, and the next Akamaru split off from the group. With their mission completed, Kakashi had absolutely no quarrel with aiding the boy in finding his dog.

"I never knew you that you and Akamaru could argue," Ino stated, vaguely aware of the attachment that the Inuzuka clan had with their dogs. Shikamaru had explained it to her numerous times, but most of that information failed to sink in, as was apparent to the current situation.

"It happens from time to time, but he's never run off like this!" Kiba scowled, sniffing the air. "I can't even track his scent anymore..." Kiba slumped against a tree, almost seeming too depressed to continue, despite his devotion to his best friend.

"D-don't worry Kiba! Akamaru will come back..." Hinata stepped forward and placed a loving hand on his elbow, linking her arm with his. Her cheeks tinged with a slight blush, she gave an honest and comforting smile to her teammate. They'd been together for the longest time, and even when they were separated, they'd always have something of the other to bring with them.

"Thanks Hinata," Kiba responded, grinning wide as he turned to Kakashi. "Do you think you could use one of your ninken to track his scent?" He asked, his voice full of hope.

Kakashi hummed and mused to himself for a moment, his eyes turned upward. When his humming stopped, he stood still for quite some time. The two kunoichi stepped forward and Ino promptly prodded at Kakashi's vest, his visible eye trailing down to look at her. "Yes?"

"Can you use your ninken or not sensei?" Ino asked, giving her that skeptical look that was strictly reserved for Shikamaru until now.

"I already told you," Kakashi saw the confusion in Ino's face, and it must have been contagious because the others were taking on the same expression. With a sigh, he bit his thumb through his mask, formed the needed seals, and slammed his hands hard onto the ground. With a poof of smoke, the smallest of Kakashi's dogs, Pakkun, appeared.

Kakashi knelt down and patted Pakkun on the head, though the pug didn't seem to enjoy that too much. "What's going on? Tracking someone?"

Kakashi turned his gaze to Kiba. "You could say that," However, the jounin trailed off and turned his gaze skyward, watching gray clouds form and drift quickly over their position. "Storm clouds..."

"In that case, you better give me a trace of whoever it is I'm to track," Pakkun stated. "Otehrwise it'll be a lot harder to track a scent when it's damp and raining."

Kakashi waved off Pakkun's response and stood, striding over to Kiba with an outstretched hand. "Y-you're not gonna pet me are you?" Kiba said, his voice shaking a bit as he cringed downward. Kakashi said nothing as he plucked a long white hair from Kiba's coat.

"Why on earth would I want to pet you?" Kakashi asked, shaking his head at such an audacious statement. Ino chuckled a little at Kiba's expense, whereas Hinata blushed as Kiba fell flat on his duff in confusion.

Kakashi knelt before Pakkun once again, holding out the hair. The pug sniffed it and looked at Kakashi as the first droplets of rain started to fall. "You're crazy." Pakkun said, sniffing the hair again, gaining both a dry scent and a wet scent for the lost Akamaru. "A dog tracking a dog?"

"That's right," Kakashi stated, looking to Pakkun with the same confused expression everyone had worn earlier. "Problem?"

"No. I just never thought I'd see the day you'd ask me to find another dog," Pakkun said, the rain falling heavier now. Ino and Hinata shrieked at the cold droplets as they hit their skin, and Kiba turned his attention to Kakashi. Pakkun sighed and turned around. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Stay dry Kakashi."

"Of course." The jounin replied as the small dog disappeared into the woods, apparently finding a trace scent of Akamaru's trail. Kakashi turned to his group and motioned to a cave small enough for the three students to huddle in before the rain got really bad. "You three can bunk there until the rain stops. I'll have to stay outside in case Pakkun returns with Akamaru."

Kiba smiled and nodded, putting his arms around Ino and Hinata to keep them dry and to usher them inside. "Thanks Kakashi-sensei," Kiba led the girls into the cave, Ino jumping away at the first opportunity to shriek again and shiver the remainder of the cold droplets from her body.

"Argh! It's so cold!" Ino shivered again as Kiba squatted inside the cave, his gaze turned to the entrance as the rain fell heavily now. Hinata took a seat next to her teammate, hoping to make him feel better with her company, but she knew she was no substitute for Akamaru.

"I hope he's okay," Kiba said, feeling Hinata's shoulder against his own. He pretended not to notice, and kept his face towards the entrance to hide a trace amount of blush that was filling his cheeks. Hinata stayed silent, staring at the entrance to the cave as well, with Ino still fuming about how cold it was becoming.

Just as Hinata was about to say something comforting, Ino spoke up again, breaking the monotony as well as whatever moment was transpiring between Hinata and Kiba. "Y'know, you two look cute together," The blond kunoichi said with a nod, her hand raised to her chin in thought.

Hinata blushed furiously, scooting away from Kiba as if to dissuade Ino's statement. Kiba blushed too, though it was hardly a concern of his at the time. "What?! Shut up Ino!"

"It's true! When you sit next to her, you don't look like your typical loud self. It's obvious you have feelings for her anyway Kiba," Ino leaned forward, her hands on her hips. "Otherwise why would you be blushing?"

Kiba blushed again and turned to Hinata who met his gaze instantly, their eyes locked in some kind of emotional standstill. _"Is it true?" _Kiba read on Hinata's face, nodding slowly, though he was unaware of such action. "Shut... shut up!" Kiba yelled, turning to Ino who folded her arms over her stomach.

"Geez, no need to be so sensitive." Ino puffed, sitting down across from the two. Both were still unable to comprehend what Ino had stated, though perhaps she had made a very valid point. Kiba had feelings for Hinata, and he knew that she had feelings for Naruto. However, with their growing time spent together, Kiba and Hinata felt closer than ever. Maybe Ino was actually right for once.

The sound of the rain outside echoed in the cave, and Ino too sat in silence as they stared outward, her gaze shifting every once in awhile towards the two across from her. She smiled inwardly, knowing that Hinata and Kiba were a much better match than Hinata and Naruto. After all, Naruto was with Sakura now...

Hinata had never lost the red tinge to her cheeks as she and Kiba unsuccessfully managed small-talk. Neither one could imagine that it would be so hard considering they were on the same team from the beginning, and that may have been where most of the awkwardness was coming from. The only words to escape their mouths were random vocalized pauses when Kiba and Hinata shuffled closer together over the passage of a few moments.

Soon, they were shoulder to shoulder again, and when Kiba went to place his arm around Hinata, he felt her grip his hand softly, her other raised to her chin in embarrassment. She stammered for a bit as Kiba held her hand tenderly. The two locked eyes for a moment, both gulping nervously as their faces slowly hovered towards one another.

"K-kiba?" Hinata stammered once again, feeling the top of her hand being absently caressed by his thumb. The hand near her mouth lowered as she could feel the steady rhythm of Kiba's breathing.

"Y-yeah?" He replied, feeling Hinata's hand squeeze his own, and in turn he squeezed back. As they came closer together, Kiba noticed that Hinata had a very pleasant scent. He'd noticed her regular scent before, but this was something new to him. _"Violets and chamomile," _He thought, his free hand brushing a few wet strands of hair from Hinata's face.

Kiba didn't hesitate further as he could taste Hinata's breath just centimeters away from his mouth. The two wasted no time in bumping noses at first, causing the two to laugh nervously and pull back. Silently, they agreed to try once again, each choosing a different direction for their heads to go. Kiba paused however and looked to Ino, who was sitting most intently as the situation transpired.

"Do you mind?" Kiba scowled, Ino standing up as if to yell at him.

"Excuse me! It's not like I can go back out in the rain!" Ino stated, her hands folded over her chest in frustration, with Hinata blushing and turning away as Kiba continued to scowl at the ditzy blond.

"Turn around then!" Kiba yelled, his hand never leaving Hinata's. The shy girl was about to say something when Ino broke out into a fit of rage.

"Fine!" Ino said, sitting with her back to the two, mumbling something along the lines of _"You wouldn't have made the move if I hadn't said something."_

Kiba, turning his attention back to Hinata, raised his hand to her cheek to caress it softly. Her cheeks were warm to the touch, and the two neared again. No interruptions. Their lips pressed against one another's as all thought processes ceased. The two remained locked in a passionate first-kiss for what seemed like an eternity to them, each nearing into the others embrace. After the moment had passed, the two pressed their foreheads together, each smiling happily.

Hinata rested her head on Kiba's chest and he wrapped his arm around her, noting that Ino was still watching the two. He didn't even care anymore and instead ran his hand up and down Hinata's back as he turned back to the cave entrance. The faint sound of barking could be heard just over the rain, as the sky seemingly began to stop its downpour.

"Kiba, is that--?" Hinata began, looking up hopefully.

"Akamaru!" Kiba yelled as Akamaru leapt into the cave, and into Kiba's lap, snuggling between him and Hinata. Akamaru didn't question it, but he seemed pleased by it knowing Hinata was such a good friend to keep Kiba company.

Ino held her nose and walked up to them. "Akamaru stinks, Kiba. He smells like wet dog..."

Kiba glared at her as if it wasn't obvious that Akamaru _was _a dog, and the group was shortly joined by Kakashi who found the group standing and awaiting departure. "Now that that's settled, what do you say we move on?"

The others agreed and they began their slow trek back to Konoha, Ino humming happily for a matchmaking job well-done with Kakashi left in the dark as to what had happened. Hinata and Kiba walked back as well, their hands interlocked as they stood near the back of the group. Ino was tempted numerous times to say something, but Akamaru growled at her one too many times, causing the kunoichi to change her mind instantly.

"Hinata?" Kiba asked, his eyes spotting the massive gate into Konoha as the group strode over the crest of the hill. Hinata turnd to him slowly, her gaze locked with his once more as they continued to walk. "Y'know, there's going to be a get-together at Naruto's for Sakura's birthday, and he said you're supposed to bring a date--"

"A-are you asking me to be your date Kiba?" Hinata responded, her eyes widening in surprise as she gulped nervously. The blush began to increase to an absurdly cute level as Kiba gave her a kind smile.

"I was going to ask you anyway, y'know just as friends and all," Kiba said, noting that Hinata was nodding intently. He began to blush too. "But maybe we can go there as... more than friends?"

Hinata smiled and nodded, her hand holding lovingly onto Kiba's. "I'd like that." She smiled back as the entire group entered Konoha, each going their separate ways after receiving confirmation from the Hokage that their mission was complete. Kiba took the chance to walk Hinata home, and the sun was just setting.

The two shared a brief kiss as their fingers laced with one another's, a bridge of their love constructed between their bodies. "So, can I pick you up at five? The party doesn't start until an hour later."

Hinata nodded again and pecked Kiba on the cheek, the two nearing the front door to her home. "Okay, I'll see you then..." With that, the door opened, flooding the small porch with light as Hinata crept inside slowly, peering around the doorframe as it slid closed.

Kiba sighed lovingly as Akamaru barked at him from behind. "That's right Akamaru! YAHOO!" The boy yelled with glee, hopping up to punch the air in victory. Come Friday, he would pick up Hinata and escort her to Sakura's party, but one ominous fact remained...

...he would have to meet Hinata's father first...


	2. Chapter 2

**Rainy Day Love**

_**Chapter Two**_

Chouji grumbled as he nearly choked on a potato chip, watching Shikamaru beat him at their tenth consecutive game of Shogi. Pounding himself on the chest, Akimichi coughed in a dejected fashion. "Man, Shikamaru! I thought I had you there!" He said, pointing to the two pieces sitting cattycorner to one another on the game board.

"Almost, Chouji. Almost," Shikamaru said with a yawn, sliding the pieces back in reverse to show Chouji how he could have won. "If you would've used your knight to take my silver general from the start, you could've moved here," He said sliding a piece forward. "And here." Again, he slid a piece diagonally. "Checkmate."

"But I don't think like you do Shikamaru!" Chouji whined, emptying the bag of chips into his mouth to get the crumbs. "Besides, if I would've done that, you would've figured out some way to jump ten steps ahead and beat me anyway."

"Twenty." Shikamaru interjected, his hands absently placing the pieces back into starting fashion.

"Huh?" Chouji questioned, clearly confused by the comment his best friend made.

"I'd be twenty steps ahead." Shikamaru explained. Chouji frowned and opened another bag of chips with a loud ruffle.

"Way to make a guy feel bad Shikamaru." Chouji scooped out a handful of chips and stuffed them into his mouth, chewing noisily. "But I know you don't mean it." Crumbs flew from his mouth onto the Shogi board and Shikamaru could only sigh.

The two played through one more game, with Shikamaru looking outside for most of the game. They'd been playing Shogi for quite some time, and neither had noticed it was raining outside. Shikamaru stared out the window and frowned as he slid a cigarette up to his lips. Lighting it up with a match, he took a deep drag and blew a circle of smoke outward.

"Isn't Ino supposed to be coming back today?" Chouji asked. "Think she's alright?"

Shikamaru looked at Chouji for a moment with an expressionless face and shrugged. "If I know Ino, she's fine. Besides, it was a simple recon mission with little to worry about. C-Ranks aren't too difficult. Just troublesome..."

"Speak for yourself Shikamaru," Chouji said, blowing into the empty bag and popping it with a slight chuckle. Shikamaru smirked and rolled the cigarette from one corner of his mouth to the other, still watching the street below from the upstairs window.

Moments later, Shikamaru stood up without a word and made his way downstairs, standing just at the inside of the entryway to his home and stuffed his hands in his pockets. The door swung open and there stood Ino, drenched from head to toe. Chouji followed Shikamaru down and had found himself something else to snack on. "Oh! Hey Ino!"

"Hey Chouji!" Ino greeted, wiping the wet hair from her eyes as she turned her gaze to Shikamaru. The kunoichi wasted no time in leaping into his arms and kissing him on the cheek. "Shikamaru! Did you miss me?" Ino asked, her eyes pleading with him to say "yes".

"You're wet." Shikamaru replied, setting Ino down before she smacked him or threw something in his direction. Instead, he was given her usual contempt-ridden glare and the casual hands on the hips move.

"Duh! It's raining out!" Ino grumbled, watching Shikamaru roll his eyes probably saying something like _"You're a troublesome woman" _in his head. Instead of giving him the riot act, she linked her arm with Shikamaru's and led them into the kitchen where they sat at the table as a team.

"So," Chouji said with another mouthful. "How'd the mission go?"

Ino beamed with pride and Shikamaru could tell she did something she shouldn't have. "It was good, but guess what? Kiba's got a date to Sakura's party!" Ino squealed with joy as Shikamaru arched a brow.

"Don't tell me you forced him to ask Hinata out..." Shikamaru stated, knowing that it was painfully obvious by the way Ino was acting. And considering that Shikamaru and Ino were an item now for a few solid months, and that it was painfully apparent she harbored no romantic feelings for Kiba, it was even more obvious.

"I didn't 'force' him to do anything! He already had feelings for her, so I gave him a little nudge is all!" Ino said in her defense, but it wasn't getting past Shikamaru.

"So in other words..." Shikamaru paused and he and Chouji exchanged glances for a moment before they both turned to Ino again. "You forced him." Shikamaru continued, Ino fuming at the other end of the table.

"Did not!" She screamed, folding her arms again and slumping across the table. "Besides, they look cute together. You should've seen them--"

"Ino," Shikamaru interrupted, taking a final drag from his cigarette. Ino gazed at him for a moment, and Shikamaru clearly had her full attention. He dabbed out his cigarette in the ashtray as he continued. "You're troublesome."

Ino didn't respond for a moment and took on a very confusing look that started to confuse everyone at the table as well. "That reminds me, we still need to get Sakura a birthday gift." Ino stated as she stood to make herself something warm to drink.

"How did me saying that you're troublesome remind you that you need to get Sakura a gift?" Shikamaru asked, but he knew the answer before Ino even said it. However, his words were formed perfectly in his mind and Ino happened to beat him to the quick.

"Because women are 'troublesome' and it's 'we' not 'me'. _We_ have to get Sakura a gift. Me and you together." Ino held out a tray with tea and three cups and looked to her friends. "Tea?"

Shikamaru groaned and Chouji gladly accepted a cup of tea while the three discussed possible presents for Sakura, and when they finally convinced Chouji that Naruto would have likely bought a large enough cake for their group, they decided to make their move into the village to search for a gift.

"Ino, it's raining. Can't we just pick up something girls like and give it to her?" Shikamaru asked, hoping that they wouldn't have to stand under their umbrellas for too long. Chouji was still pouting over buying a second cake, and Ino spun towards them both.

"No! Buying a gift for a girl is much different than buying one for a boy! A lot of thought actually goes into picking out the right present!" Ino said, her hand going to her hip again.

"And that's why we're going now instead of two weeks ago when Naruto reminded us to buy Sakura a present?" Shikamaru looked at Ino in disbelief as she seemingly tried to think up an answer to his comment when out of the blue, she managed something.

"I figured you were far too lazy to do it right away and you would think it too troublesome." Ino replied, stating it as if it were her plan all along. Shikamaru sighed and gave her a quick _"Nevermind"_ and the trio continued on, making their way towards the market district, where surprisingly, many shops were still open despite the rain.

After standing around as Ino picked up various items and setting them back down, Chouji leaned back to note a familiar orange and black jumpsuit running towards them. He tapped Shikamaru and the Chuunin looked in the direction Chouji was pointing. "Hey, it's Naruto! What's he carrying Shikamaru?"

Shikamaru squinted and slapped his forehead as Naruto neared them, holding in his hands a large circular object that resembled a cake. In fact, it was the actual cake he had bought for Sakura's party, but he decided to pick it up today of all days.

"Hey! Chouji! Shikamaru! I need your help!" Naruto wailed, holding out the cake before the two, rain dripping from his matted hair onto the pink frosting. The words _"Happy Birthday Sakura" _were all disfigured, and even the cherry blossom tree was drooping and looking more like a weeping willow with pink leaves. "Sakura's cake is ruined! Argh!"

Shikamaru grumbled as Naruto continued to stand out in the rain instead of huddling under his umbrella or Chouji's. "Naruto... why didn't you bring an umbrella if you were picking up her cake today?" Shikamaru could probably guess what Naruto was going to say next, but he was a strategist, not a psychic.

"I can't hold an umbrella _and_ a cake! Geez, I thought you were smart Shikamaru!" Naruto retorted, the cake furthering its slow drift from the tray onto the ground. Chouji whimpered and held his umbrella over the cake and Naruto, if only to save one of the two from getting too terribly wet.

"Shikamaru, what do you think--" Ino said as she turned and found her words caught in her throat as she stared at the monstrosity that Naruto was holding. "Is... is that Sakura's cake?" Ino said, her fists clenching at her sides as Naruto struggled to find the words to explain himself. "Why didn't you bring an umbrella?"

Naruto scowled and turned back to Chouji and Shikamaru, ignoring Ino yelling at him behind the two. "C'mon guys! I gotta pick up another cake for Sakura!" Naruto pleaded, almost on his knees, frosting and mud accumulating at his feet.

Chouji looked to Shikamaru and shrugged. "I told you a second cake was a good idea," Shikamaru nodded in agreement, not about to state that Chouji's reason was completely different than Naruto's and sighed in resignation. "Look, how about you and Chouji go get a new cake since one of you can hold the umbrella for the other and keep the cake from getting wet while the other can simply carry the cake?"

Chouji nodded and Naruto agreed after Shikamaru gave a short explanation that he didn't mean that the two walk together _"in that way" _and the two departed as Ino finished her rant in the background. "And furthermore--! Wait, where'd Chouji go? And where'd that stupid Naruto run off to? I was about to tell him why Sakura is going to kill him for--"

"I told them to go get a new cake so Sakura wouldn't be too upset with him." Shikamaru explained, Ino nodding and taking a violent grip on Shikamaru's arm, though it was probably her way of showing affection by being clingy.

"Oh Shikamaru, you did it so you and I could walk alone together didn't you?" Ino said in a disillusioned tone, and again, Shikamaru sighed in resignation. He would have told Ino that the reasoning behind it being that Chouji would eat the ruined cake, thereby not letting it go to waste, and their hands would be free to carry an umbrella and cake respectively.

"So what now? Did you find a gift to give from us yet?" Shikamaru asked, wondering if they'd ever get out of the rain or if it would even stop at this point. He sighed and found Ino directly in his face, blushing and smiling. "W-what?" Shikamaru stuttered.

"Shikamaru," Ino said lovingly, her body now pressed against his as they stood under his dull gray umbrella. He craned his neck back to avoid the initial closeness and eyed her incredulously. Ino blushed again and pecked him on the cheek. "You said 'us'..." With that, the blonde linked her arm with Shikamaru's and folded up her purple umbrella to walk side-by-side with him.

"I did? Slip of the tongue, Ino--" Shikamaru began before Ino pressed her finger against his lips to shush him. She leaned forward and kissed his lips softly, with no resistance on his part, the two nearly embracing one another now. Ino pulled back and smiled, and Shikamaru still had his same, lazy look about him. He cleared his throat and started walking, Ino rushing up to link arms once more.

"What do you think Sakura would like Shikamaru? And don't say 'something girly'." Ino said, resting her head on his shoulder as they walked down the street, nearing the end of the market district.

"Something _really _girly." Before she could scold him for his comment, Shikamaru spoke again. "I don't know Ino. I think I've done my part for today just by coming out here."

Ino fumed and broke their link standing off to the side, forgetting to put her umbrella up as rain dripped on her again. Shikamaru wasted little time in holding his out to her to prevent her from getting drenched and stood out in the rain himself. "Shikamaru, how do you figure that?" Her comment was devoid of any anger, after the loving gesture was given to her by Shikamaru.

Shikamaru again didn't explain that by allowing Chouji to go with Naruto they'd come back with some massive cake that would likely be the best of its kind. Shikamaru, in turn, being the sub-catalyst for such an event to transpire. The catalyst being Naruto and his fool-luck by running into the 2nd generation Ino-Shika-Cho trio in the first place.

Ino and Shikamaru linked arms once more and turned around, wandering back by the other shops that Ino decided aloud that didn't have any gifts that were good enough for Sakura. All the shopkeepers had closed up their businesses as they passed, if only to avoid having Ino blatantly announce that their wares were not good enough to the population of Konoha. Shikamaru grumbled and stopped dead in his tracks.

"Look, I'll walk ahead," He said staring at the shops prepared to put up their _"closed"_ signs as they watched Ino and Shikamaru trot up the street. "And I'll pick something out. I'll take your feelings into consideration when I pick it out, I promise." Shikamaru stated, his eyes locking with Ino's once again as he leaned forward to kiss her.

Ino smiled and leapt upon him with an unstable hug, pleased that Shikamaru would be willing to go as far as picking out a gift from the both of them all on his own. Shikamaru stumbled slightly and would have slipped backwards, but Ino released him just in time before they would both get caked with mud. "Now Shikamaru," Ino began, raising her finger. "Whatever you get Sakura must be delicate, feminine, and pink."

Shikamaru nodded absently, already starting to slink away as Ino informed him on what to buy. "Something pink, got it." He began walking confidently now, knowing that as long as he got Sakura something pink, Ino wouldn't beat him up about it. He heard Ino yelling in the background something about femininity and delicacies, but it was probably nothing.

Stepping into the first shop he saw that was still open, Shikamaru paused in horror as he was bombarded by not one, not two, but three eager female clerks. Each clerk wore around their necks a strip of measuring tape and aprons full of pins and numerous other fashion editing instruments. If he didn't know he'd wandered into a clothing store, Shikamaru could have sworn he'd been attacked by fashion-nins.

"Welcome to our store! What can we help you with today?" The three women asked, their eyes glistening in an unrealistic light for as dark as it was outside. Shikamaru's eyebrow twitched nervously as he struggled to find the words.

"Uh... uh..." Shikamaru paused and looked to the three women and gulped, quickly looking around for something pink and found that nearly everything in the store was pink with a few exceptions. Pointing to a high shelf, the women eyed him as if he were crazy and managed to ask him the very important question:

"Are you sure?"

Shikamaru nodded and pulled a picture from Chuunin vest. "Make it look like this, okay? It's gotta be pink... and..." He paused before saying it and sighed, thinking it too sexist to say _"girly"._ "Not... manly." The women nodded and got to work right away, ushering Shikamaru out of the store after receiving the date that it needed to be done by and the date he could pick it up.

Satisfied with himself, Shikamaru strode out of the store and found himself searching for Ino. "Troublesome woman. Why couldn't she just stand where I left her?" He grumbled aloud, finally spotting her conversing with Chouji and Naruto, after they picked up an even larger version of the cake before it, or so Shikamaru assumed. Instantly, Ino rushed over to him and succeeded in knocking him over this time. Standing up from in-between his legs, Ino stared down at the muddy Chuunin.

"So? Did you get her something nice?" Ino asked, tapping her foot impatiently as Chouji and Naruto surrounded him. Shikamaru stood up, brushed what mud off of himself he could, and eyed the three as if they were insane.

"Whatever," Shikamaru said, Ino taking the hint that the job was done but was still unconvinced.

Ino tapped her foot again, looking to Naruto and Chouji huddled beneath an umbrella with the massive cake. "Did you get something pink Shikamaru? Something feminine? Something delicate?" Ino prodded, her foot tapping rapidly as she awaited a response.

"Yeah, can we go now?" Shikamaru said, not wanting Naruto and Chouji to notice he was blushing ever so slightly. Ino smirked and pulled him close, kissing him as if Chouji and Naruto weren't there. The two stared at them for a moment or two before Naruto leaned in to whisper to Chouji.

"You think he bought panties?" Naruto asked, oblivious to the fact that the three had spent time shopping around for Sakura. Chouji merely shrugged in response

"Dunno. With Shikamaru, it's hard to tell." Chouji replied, watching the two as he carefully munched on a bag of chips, not wanting to drop crumbs onto the cake he and Naruto spent a long time picking out from frosting color to font style.

"Oh, so Shikamaru is one of _those types_ huh?" Naruto said, keeping his tone to a sultry whisper as Chouji immediately looked confused.

"What?" He replied as he continued watching Ino and Shikamaru.

"Y'know, an _uke._" Naruto explained, his eyebrows furrowing in frustration.

"No way!" Chouji said in defense of his friend. "Shikamaru is a day older than Ino, and besides," Chouji paused and raised his hand, a chip gripped firmly between his thumb and forefinger. "She's only like, point-one centimeters taller than he is."

"Oh!" Naruto said in dawned realization, almost slapping his forehead as if he hadn't noticed it before. In fact, he never really did.

"What made you think that anyway?" Chouji asked, confusion needing explanation.

"Ino always seemed like a _seme_ to me, and from what Sakura says, it's probably true." Naruto said turning to Shikamaru as he and Ino finally broke their passionate kiss. "She's got you whipped Shikamaru."

Shikamaru arched a brow as Ino placed her hands on her hips again. "What are you talking about Naruto?" Ino questioned, wondering honestly what he and Chouji were rambling about.

Naruto eyed Shikamaru and would have pointed if not for the massive cake resting in his hands. "Shikamaru is an _uke_!" He blurted, Chouji unable to step back in horror or else the cake would become ruined once more. Shikamaru stared blankly at the two and Ino mimicked the stare as well.

"Huh?" They said in unison, clearly confused.

"You know, Shikamaru does seem kinda girly..." Chouji stated after a brief observation. Shikamaru glared in his direction. "Sorry, it's the hair..." Chouji shrugged and continued eating his potato chips.

"And you do seem to have pretty bad luck Shikamaru," Naruto added, nodding in agreement with his own statement. Shikamaru turned his head slowly to glare at Naruto as well.

"You two..." Shikamaru said, clearly growing aggravated with the two and their audacious statements. Were he not so lazy and not currently in a relationship with Ino, he likely would have slugged them.

"They have a point Shikamaru." Ino included, looking to Shikamaru like he was a piece of meat in a butcher shop. "I _am_ taller than you." The blonde nodded and turned back to the two as Shikamaru fell over, resigning himself to his unwanted fate as the _uke_ in he and Ino's relationship.


End file.
